Chapter Text
Everybody is born with two soulmates, one platonic and one romantic. The platonic soulmate was the easiest to find, as anything one person wrote on their skin would appear on the skin of the other, personal information excluded. The romantic was harder, as the soulmates could only feel each other's pain, both emotional and physical. However, neither of the bonds form until both of the soulmates are at least sixteen.
Tony Stark had given up hope of ever finding his platonic soulmate. At first, he'd written to them every day after he'd turned sixteen, but after years of no reply, he'd given up. Pepper, who he'd discovered was his romantic soulmate after a series of awkward and painful encounters, said she remembered the waves of crushing sadness she'd felt every night from him. It had been painful, yes, to see his friends writing to their soulmates, but over time the pain had lessened and he'd learned to look on the bright side. After all, he could jot equations on his hands without worrying about bothering anyone, and it wasn't like him being sad would change anything other than making Pep sad too, which he hated the idea of. It was a fact of life: Some soulmates died young, and others just chose to ignore the person fate had paired them with. Tony pitied those who lost their romantic soulmates before they ever met them - they said the lack of that bond tore some people's souls in two. But the point was, Tony had moved on.
Which made it even more of a shock when his platonic soulmate finally wrote back.
Peter Parker was turning sixteen soon, and he was both looking forward to and dreading it. Looking forward because he might get to meet his soulmates, and dreading because he'd been Spider-Man for nearly a year now, but had never had to worry about the pain he would be causing his romantic soulmate every time he got injured - until now. Also, they said that trying to keep a secret from your platonic soulmate was almost physically painful.
The day finally came, and Peter had to say it was a pretty uneventful day. He didn't feel too different, except for the fact that if he really tried, he thought that he could sense the bond deep inside of himself. He tried slapping himself just to see what happened. That bond wobbled, tremors pulsing down it, but they seemed to slam into a wall and rebound, giving him a phantom ache in his cheek. He assumed that meant his romantic soulmate wasn't sixteen yet. He really hoped the same didn't apply to his platonic one - he wasn't sure he could bear having all the suspense lead to nothing. Still, the small smiley faces he tried drawing on his arms didn't merit any reply, and Peter was too scared to write anything obvious in case of rejection.
Peter's birthday was uneventful, but the day afterwards most certainly was not.
Tony was stressing. He hadn't slept, properly eaten or even changed out of the clothes he was wearing for the past two days. He knew he didn't have much longer until Pepper, who had been sending him messages about the exhaustion she was feeling from him, flew back from the meeting she was at in Wakanda just to shove him into bed. But he just couldn't work out the last equation for the project he was working on. He promised himself he'd rest just as soon as he finished.
Tony scribbled out the formula he'd been working on, crushing the paper and reaching for a new sheet, only to find the notebook was empty. Sighing, he pushed up his sleeve, not even noticing the smiley faces dotted on his skin in his exhaustion, and jotted the unsolved equation down, taking a moment to stare at the numbers blankly.
Then, something crazy happened. Beneath the equation, in the empty space where Tony was about to start his working again, a series of exclamation marks appeared.
Peter was in class when there was a tingle on his arm. He gasped, recognising the sensation he'd had described to him as what happened when your platonic soulmate wrote to you. Hurriedly, he rolled up his sleeve, expecting a friendly greeting or a comment about his smileys, only to be greeted by an eye-wateringly difficult sum. Still, at least his soulmate was writing to him! He jotted a couple of exclamation points to let his soulmate know he was there, then threw him arm into the air and excused himself. Locked in a cubicle, Peter was free to examine the equation. For some reason, his soulmate still hadn't written back. Maybe the sum was some kind of test? Fine, Peter could play.
It took the best of ten minutes, but Peter managed to squeeze most of the working onto his arm and wrist, triumphantly scrawling the answer on his palm and circling and underlining it. He waited for a reply, doodling bubbles, stars and fireworks around his hand. He really hoped his soulmate wasn't one of those people who didn't communicate with their soulmates. Maybe the sum had been a mistake, and he'd offended them? He started to write an apology when his soulmate finally replied.
Tony could do nothing but stare as writing encompassed his arm, twisting his hand around to follow the tingling sensation as his soulmate doodled all over him. He couldn't get over the wonder of it - he knew a lot about soulmates, but writing to yours was quite a private thing, so while Tony had seen the remnants of Pep's conversations, he'd never actually seen the ink appear. Having it happen to him so long after giving up hope... It was indescribable.
Finally, Tony got over the shock and tried to think of something to say. Where have you been all my life? No, he didn't want to scare off his soulmate after they'd finally decided to reply. However, before he could think of anything to say, the tingling feeling came back and a apology started forming on his arm.
No no no, Tony wrote hastily, scribbling out the apology. I'm sorry, I guess I was just shocked you finally wrote back.
There was a pause, then a feeling like pins and needles covered his arm, and the writing from his soulmate vanished. Tony began to panic, thinking he'd made it up, then realised they'd just washed their arm to have more space to write. He did the same, erasing the messages he'd written, glad he'd taken a photo earlier.
Peter blinked at his arm. Finally wrote back?
What do you mean? He replied eventually. I only turned 16 yesterday.
Oh, his soulmate wrote. That explains a lot.
How old are you?!?!
Married?
Oh, wow. I thought I had it bad waiting for a whole day. I'm really sorry I've disappointed you-
Kid no chill. I can see why we're soulmates though
Why?
You managed to solve that sum at 16, and you clearly have a guilt complex the size of Jupiter
I'm sorry
What did I just say?
Oops, sor I mean it won't happen again sir/ma'am/superior
He/him
Oh cool me too.
Wait you're sixteen?
Yeah...
Shouldn't you be in class?
Yeah...
Kid...
Ok, bye. Ttyl?
I have no idea what that means but sure :)
Peter laughed as he washed off the ink and returned to class.
That night, Tony got to know his new soulmate better as far as the strangely picky bond would allow them.
Tell me more about you
Well sure, sir. I'm Alexander Hamilton I'm at your service, sir-
What?! I can see your name!
Oh my- it's a song lyric you uncultured Shrek. My real name is , I'm 16 and I live at .
OK. I couldn't see most of that, just so you know.
I know. Hbu?
Oh sure my name is Tony and I'm the billionaire that lives at the top of sStark tower. Oh and I also haven't slept for a week. Tony wrote, knowing his soulmate wouldn't be able to see most of it.
WhAt?! mR Shrek you need to sLeEp!
Ok that was an exaggeration I slept at least 2 days ago
You say that like it makes it better. Go. Sleep. Now.
You sound like my wife. How would you like it if I started mothering you?
Mothering? You'Re NoT mY dAd.
That's good, I don't want to be anything like my own father.
Where is he so I can punch him
Good luck with that, he's six feet under with my mother.
You're an orphan? Of course, I'm an orphan! God, I wish there was a war then we could prove that we're worth more Than anyone bargained for
wHat???
Another song reference Mr Shrek. I didn't expect you to understand
Oh ok. So you were joking?
Oh no I am an orphan. Welcome to the no parents club!
Kid I'm so sorry
Nah it's been a while I'm over it now go sleep.
Tony tried to protest, but the kid kept ignoring him so he went to bed. He couldn't wait to tell Pep all about his soulmate in the morning.
Peter grinned as he continued to ignore the tingling on his skin as Mr Shrek did his best to procrastinate sleep, instead starting work on his homework before heading out to patrol.
He'd only just met his platonic soulmate, but he already trusted him with his life. He wanted to tell him about Spider-Man, he really did, but what if he was one of the people that thought he was a menace, or what if he only pretended to like Peter because of it?
It was gone midnight when Peter felt the tingle on his arm. He couldn't see the writing because of his suit, so he quickly headed home so he could respond. After so long without a soulmate, he didn't want Mr Shrek to think he'd abandoned him, and since he'd mentioned having a guilt complex, the man might actually think it was his fault.
Hey kid, you still up?
I'm guessing that's a no.
Peter grabbed a gel pen off his desk and scrawled a reply.
I'm still up, sorry for the late reply. How'd you sleep?
Good, thanks. Why you still up, and why is there blood smeared on my face?
Peter winced, rushing to the bathroom and scrubbing off the blood that had dried at his hairline before coming up with a way to change the subject.
Why hadn't you slept for so long, and what kind of job needs answers to that kind of formula?
...
Let's not ask each other questions we don't want to answer, okay?
Fine. You want secrets, you get secrets, so long as I get mine too. Okay?
Okay.
Okay.
Hey, maybe okay can be our Always :3
What?
Never mind. Tell me about your other soulmate! Are they nice?
She's a blessing.
I want to meet her
She'd probably love you more than me, so no. Unless you want two new adoptive parents.
Ha lol
Wait.. you said you're orphaned.
Yeah?
Are you in the system? Do you even have a home?!?!
What yeah I live with my aunt. She's a blessing, too.
Oh okay
Speaking of, I need to go, my aunt is yelling at me to go to sleep.
K, see you in the morning
Sleep tight :)
Tony smiled fondly as he capped the pen he'd been using to write and rinsed off his side of the conversation. Then he mentally slapped himself. A day ago, he hadn't even known the kid existed, and now he was mooning over him like he was his dad or something? He didn't even know the guy's name, he shouldn't be thinking of ways to fight for custody of the boy in court!
Tony lapsed into darker thoughts. As a teen, bragging to his soulmate about being the rich son of Howard Stark would have been something he delighted in. Now, as Iron Man and a slightly notorious billionaire, he didn't want to scare the kid off or only have him like him because of the mask he wore. So whilst most soulmates were hasty to find loopholes and discover each other's identities, Tony was glad that the kid hadn't pushed to find out more about him.
The next day, they chatted more, the kid not pushing for any information beyond:
I kinda wish the universe wasn't so picky about us exchanging phone numbers :(
Is writing too hard for you teenage brats?
You old people should have more respect for your Youngers >:(
I...
Anyway, for all I know you could live on the other side of the world
It's a possibility.
I'm in Queens, New York, hbu?
Just uptown in Manhattan
Pffff Hey do you think we've ever walked past each other in the streets?
Kid do you know how many people live in New York?
1, 2, 3, lots, many?
I haven't even met you and I can tell you're going to give me grey hairs.
Okay Grandpa Shrek
Peter took the first opportunity to tell Ned all about his soulmate, which Ned thought was awesome. His birthday wasn't for another few months, which he was super annoyed about. However, those months passed quickly, and Ned was delighted when he screamed in pain one morning at a sleepover with Peter, having been woken up by his romantic soulmate stubbing their toe.
Peter got better and better as Spiderman, and though he was glad Mr Shrek didn't press to meet him, keeping the secret made him feel fake, despite knowing that his platonic soulmate was also hiding something from him.
However, one night Peter was rescuing some children from a burning building that had become unstable, and was just doing a last sweep of the area, when the building promptly dumped itself on top of him.
Of course, he'd been in a similar situation before, and was able to lift the building again after some struggle, but the apartment building was a lot heavier than that old warehouse had been, as it was several stories tall and full of furniture. Spider-Man barely got out before the whole thing came down with enough force to have crushed him flat like the bug he was. He made it far enough away that only some of the rubble caught him, but he was already weak enough that the half-meter layer of bricks tripped him. He could feel blood trickling out of him from where a water pipe had punctured his leg, and knew he wouldn't last long. He didn't have his phone with him and there was nobody near enough to hear him scream, so he did the only thing his blood-loss-fuzzy mind could think to do: write to Mr Shrek.
Hey, Mr Shrek
Hey kid
How are you on this fine day?
The rubble shifted, and Peter stifled a scream.
Kid I'm in a meeting right now is this important?
No, not really I guess I can wait- Peter's pen slipped, scrawling a line over his already sloppy writing through his torn suit.
You okay there bud?
Depends how you define ok
What's wrong?
I kinda need your help
???
I know you don't want to meet up with me but a building kinda collapsed on me and I think I'm bleeding out so if you could get me some help that would be very appreciated please and thank you.
Tony left the meeting without an explanation, and sprinted for the nearest window, suit forming around him with a blank panel so he could keep writing.
Where are you?
Underneath the building that just collapsed, duh.
"FRI-"
"Already on it, sir."
Okay just hang in there kid I'm coming
Peter managed to crawl out of the pile of rubble, but didn't make it much further before he collapsed against a bizarrely intact bathtub. What did Mr Shrek mean, he was coming? Peter only wanted him to phone the police or something.
Then a red and gold figure streamed out of the sky like a shooting star and slammed into the rubble, immediately beginning to dig.
"Kid!" Iron Man yelled. "Where are you? FRIDAY, scan for heat signatures!"
A blue scan enveloped the rubble. Peter was too busy processing the fact that his soulmate was literally Tony Stark, the coolest man alive, to call out, but then he started giggling. The blood loss made the coincidence that neither of them wanted to reveal themselves as superheroes just seem like the most hilarious thing on earth. Mr Shrek -or Stark, Peter supposed, had been right from day one. It was no wonder they were soulmates - apart from the age gap, they were practically the same person.
After a minute, Peter's uncontrollable laughter became so loud that Iron Man noticed it and span around. Peter couldn't see his expression, but he imagined Mr Stark's eyes getting bigger and bigger until they popped out of his face, which only made him laugh harder. The hero flew over.
"Kid?" Mr Stark asked, face plate popping up. "You weren't kidding about the blood, huh?"
"I- called... you- Grandpa Shrek!" Peter wheezed.
"Yeah, I'm taking you to hospital," Mr Stark said, scooping him up and taking off.
Peter woke up in a hospital bed. He panicked and sat up, but realised that this wasn't a hospital. It seemed to be a private clinic, probably, he realised as the memories returned, at Stark Tower.
His hands went to his face, panicking as he felt the absence of the mask.
"Don't worry," an unfamiliar voice said, "I take doctor-patient confidentiality very seriously." The short man with salt and pepper hair held out Peter's mask. "I had it washed, if you want to put it on before I let Tony in. He's been waiting outside all night."
Peter didn't move to take the mask, too busy staring at his doctor. "Y-you're Bruce Banner!"
"Don't worry, I'm not going to hulk out," Bruce sighed, tossing the mask onto Peter's bed and turning away.
"N-no! You're like, my favourite scientist! I've read all of your books, your work is so cool!"
"You understand them?" Bruce asked, shocked.
"Well, not all of it," Peter admitted, "but I get the principals, and I'm getting there with the rest of it!"
There was sudden banging on the door. "FRI says he's awake, let me in!" Somebody yelled.
"Just a sec!" Bruce yelled back, then lowered his voice. "I won't let him in if you don't want me too, I promise."
"No, it's okay," Peter said, reaching for his mask and giving Dr Banner a nod. The scientist hit a button and the door slid open, Tony Stark almost falling through it.
Peter tensed, fingers knotting around the mask he held clutched in his lap. Tony looked up at him, and his eyes widened, but to Peter's relief he said nothing other than, "What's your name?"
"I'm Peter," Peter said.
"Tony," Tony stepped closer and held out his hand to shake, which Peter accepted. "When you've recovered enough to get out of that bed, you and I are going to have a serious chat about you only being sixteen, kid."
"Sure, Grandpa Shrek," Peter smirked.
"Speaking of, how long until he's recovered?" Mr Stark posed the question at Bruce.
"From the state he was in when he arrived, several weeks, but right now all his vitals seem to be almost back to normal," Bruce frowned at a chart. "I don't understand."
"I have advanced healing," Peter piped up. "But I can't get out of bed yet, right Mr Dr Banner Sir?" He pleaded with a dreading glance at his platonic soulmate.
"Absolutely not," Bruce lied with a wink. "Stay right there or you might die or something."
Suddenly Peter's eyes widened. "My Aunt! I have to tell her I'm okay - how long has it been?"
"Only a few hours, relax. I'll get in touch with her," Tony promised.
"Ok Mr Stark."
"Call me Tony, kid."
"Ok Mr Stark."
Mr Stark huffed and stormed playfully out of the room. It was the start of a beautiful friendship.
At 3am on the morning of her sixteenth birthday, she woke as a blinding pain shot through her, like the sky itself was falling. She screamed, pushing at whatever was crushing her, but there was nothing there, nothing she could do as she screamed and screamed and screamed.